Although we suspected Apple was getting ready to update the iPad when we were planning our April issue, we didn't quite know what it would be like. As a result, just like every other publisher out there, we were a little surprised by the insanely great, 2048 x 1536 Retina display. Our April issue didn't support Retina natively, but it didn't look bad. I compared the April issue on the iPad 2 and the iPad 3—sorry, "the New iPad" and the differences were hard to detect. The colors seemed just a bit deeper on the latter, but otherwise it was a tie. Now that we have had some time to plan, we are launching a full-fledged, Retina-optimized version of PC Magazine with the May issue.

Don't worry about picking a format because the App Store will helpfully detect what version of iPad you are using and deliver you the best version. Keep in mind, the added pixels in the Retina version do make the app bigger—by threefold. Just know, we are still dedicated to keeping the standard definition issue under 100MB. After all, some of us can only afford 16GB iPads.

The highlight of the May issue is our annual Best Free Software story. The beauty of free software, of course, is its price. The problem with free software is that is can be really hard to separate the killer apps from the virus-infected crapware that will slow down your PC and send your credit card information to a Nigerian prince. Rest easy, though, because we share the apps that PC Magazine editors use every day to get stuff done.

We also have the results from our latest Readers' Choice survey. Turns out, people love their Windows Phones. In fact, they love them just as much, if not more, than people love their iPhones. I know. I was surprised too, but the data is there. How could this little-used platform be so damn popular? We give you the raw data and then PCMag's Lead Mobile Analyst Sascha Segan puts it in perspective.

In other news, we decided that our free trail issue was a bit skimpy. It showed the design adequately, but it just didn't have enough pages to give you a sense of how much editorial we are packing into the Digital Edition. That is why, starting now, you can download the entire May issue for free. Just don't expect that to happen every month. It's a one-time thing.

After this, if you want regular issues, you will have to get them the old fashioned way—by clicking Subscribe.

About the Author

Dan Costa is the Editor-in-Chief of PCMag.com and the Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff-Davis. He oversees the editorial operations for PCMag.com, Geek.com, ExtremeTech.com as well as PCMag's network of blogs, including AppScout and SecurityWatch. Dan makes frequent appearances on local, national, and international news programs, including ... See Full Bio

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